MARCH. 
75 
ment should be afforded young plants early iu the season, otherwise it 
will be difficult to induce vigorous growth, or to obtain ^ood-sized 
flowering specimens. 
Propagation is readily effected by cuttings, provided they are selected 
at the proper season, viz., when the plants are making free growth, 
but if deferred until flowers begin to be produced, suitable bits for this 
purpose will hardly be obtained, and they should be put in as early in 
the season as possible, so as to get the plants some size and well esta¬ 
blished previous to winter. Short jointed shoots, when about half ripe, 
if planted in sandy peaty soil, covered with a bell glass, and afforded 
a bottom heat of from 70° to 80°, will be found to root freely, but 
the glasses must be wiped as frequently as is necessary to prevent injury 
from damp, to which the cuttings are liable, particularly if rather soft. 
Pot off into 4- inch pots as soon as they are sufficiently rooted to allow 
of their being handled. Place them in a close moist warm situation, 
and if they cafi be afforded a gentle bottom heat it will be all the 
better, until the plants are well established. The most careful attention 
during the summer, in addition to early propagation, will be necessary 
to get them sufficiently large to be useful the second season as flowering 
specimens. The best situation for them during summer will be a 
rather warm close pit, where they will be screened from the midday 
sun, and where a moist atmosphere is maintained. Attend to shifting, 
so as to afford plenty of pot room, but take care that the pots are tolerably 
full of roots by the end of the growing season ; and as the plant is 
rather a weakly grower, large shifts should be avoided. The leading 
shoot should be stopped occasionally, in order to secure compact bushy 
plants, and the support of a stake will be necessary from the time when 
the plants are potted singly. About the end of September they should 
be removed to a situation near the glass in a rather warm, dry atmo¬ 
sphere, and be but sparingly supplied with water at the root; this will 
check growth and ripen the wood previous to the dull sunless days of 
winter, and unless the shoots of this plant are in a firm state, then they 
will be very likely to damp off, especially in the hands of amateurs. 
A temperature of from 50° to 00°, with a situation near the glass, and 
a sparing supply of water to the soil, is the safest treatment during 
the winter months. I have wintered the plant successfully in a tempe¬ 
rature of from 45° to 55°, but I would not advise beginners to risk 
their stock of this plant in so low a heat, at least until they have had a 
year’s acquaintance of it. 
Early in February, or as soon after as circumstances will admit, 
remove the plants to a brisk, moist, growing temperature, and a gentle 
bottom heat of 75° or 80° will greatly assist in promoting active growth. 
It will be advisable to examine the state of the roots at once, and if the 
drainage is defective, or the soil sour or uncongenial, remedy the evil 
by reducing the ball so as to clear away the bad soil; but except in 
the case of plants, the roots of which are abundant and healthy, re¬ 
potting will be better deferred for a fortnight, or until the plants start 
into growth. A rather small shift may be given as soon as more pot 
room is required, and the shoots trained to two or three stakes, and 
stopped occasionally; and when the plants are well rooted after the 
